Releasing-slide for combination-locks.



R. C. LEWIS. RELEASIN-G SLIDE FOR CIVIBINATION LOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5 I9I5.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

'JF-:- .L

Attorney sii" W] NESSES COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH Co.,\v^sM|NOTON. D. f:4

`tilll`dlitFlElDi STATE@- FAJFFANPF OFFliFlE,

ROBLIN C. LEWIS, 0F STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO IllE YALE & TOWNEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

RELEASING-SLIDE FOR COMBINATION-LOCKS.

Application filed September 15, 191,5.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, ROLLIN C. LEWIS, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Stamford, in the countyof Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful improvements in `Releasing-Slides for Combination-Locks; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in combination locks, the objectbeing to provide means operable from the outer side of the lock casingfor disconnecting and connecting the driving tumbler cen-ter and thetumbler, Awhereby the tumbler center may be disconnected and turnedwithout turning the tumbler, thus changing the combination, and thenrestored to its normal operative position within the tumbler.

A further object is to provide the lock casing with a tumbler settingsight hole, whereby the movement of the tumblers can be observed, thesaid sight hole ylia-ving a transparent'cover to exclude dust.

A further object is to provide improved means for attaching the knobspindle to the dial knob `and ring, so that it may be usecl on doors ofvarious thicknesses, .within certain limits, without changing any of,the parts.

lin the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in elevation `of alock embodying my invention showing the tumbler shifting slide in itsnormal position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the slide in itsshiftedposition; Fig. 3 is a view in section of the lock and dial, theslide being in the position shown in Fig. 1; Fig. l is a similar viewwith the slide in the position shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view of thelock casing show ing the tumbler setting sight hole; Fig. 6 isa view insection through the face plate of the casing showing the transparentcover for the sight hole; Figs. 7, 8 and 9, show the dial spindle andwasher, and the method of securing the washer `to .the spindle; Fig. 10is a view of the driving tumbler and Fig. ll a view of the drivingtumbler hub and tumbler center.

l represents the lock casing, 2 .a series of tumblers therein and 3 isthedriving tum- Specfcaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Bec. 28, i915..

serial no. 50,824.

bler or the tumbler to which motion is directly imparted by the dialspindle, and which by its rotation, rotates the other tumblers 2 in thewell known mannen The .tumble-rs 2 Vare mounted to rotate on a suitablesupport within the lock casing, and the driving tumbler 3 is alsomounted on said support and is provided with a central .section 5 havinga h ub t, which in the present instance projects vthrough one face ofthe lock case. The hub #l carries the driving tumbler center 5, which isdisl; shape and provided at its periphery with teeth which mesh with,similarly shaped teeth formed in the margin or wall of the recess inythe driving tumbler, in which said tumbler een`- ter 5 normally rests,so that when tumbler center is in its normal position and locked to thetumbler 3, the two parts will rotate together and rotate ,the ,othertumbler-s 2 in the well known manner. This hub 4 `and the tumbler center5 carried thereby` are free to vbe moved lengthwise the hub,lsol thatwhen moved in one direction ,the ytumbler center 5 will be disconnectedfrom its tumbler 3, and when moved in the other direction will engageand mesh with the teeth on `said tumbler, so that when lthe ,hub 4; isrotated, the tumbler?) .will -be rotated ,with the same. The hub 4C is-provided with an angular opening through the saine for the .receptionof the Aangular spindle 6, and the support carrying the Ltumblers 2 isAalso made hollow so ,that the said spindle may rest therein, the boreof the support being of greater vdiameter ,than the spindle so thatthere will not be any ,contact between the parts. Vly this arrangement,`the spindle 6 .may be ot a length to fit any thickness of door withincertain limits Vand 4be applied to .the door without any `*cutting oradjusting of the parts.

The ,hub L is provided with a peripheral groove 7, in which the cams Son the slide 9 rest and move. This slide is provided with anelongatedopening 10, which is enllarged at one end to permit the Ihub 4 to bepassed through the same, and is narrowed at itsother end, the side wallsof the narrowed part being cam shaped, or inclined, sothat when thesaidslide 9 is pulled downwardly the cams thereon, acting against theshoulders or wall of the groove in the hub, shifts the latter en dwiseand withdraws the tumbler center 5 from its tumbler 3, thus leavingA thecenter free to be turned by the dial knob without turning the tumbler,and when the slide is shifted to its other position, it forces thetumbler center into its seat in the tumbler thus locking the two partstogether. This slide 9 is slotted as at 11 to receive the post 12 whichassists in guiding the latter and the end of the slide projects throughthe lock case and is preferably bent as at 13 to permit it to be readilygrasped and operated from the outside of the lock case.

The spindle 6 is provided near its outer end with a circular groove 111Lin which the washer 14 is slipped and partly turned, after which it ispermanently secured on the spindle, by upsetting the metal of thespindle in one or more of the corners of the square hole in the washer.This washer rests against the rear face of the dial ring 15 Yand thespindle is locked to the dial ring by the knob shank 16, which bearsagainst the front face of the dial ring, and by the screw 17, screwedinto the end of the spindle with its head overlapping the outer end ofthe shank. The dial 18 is carried by the shank 1G and is secured theretoby the dial knob 19 screwed onto the shank.

In applying the dial to a door, the screw cap 20 in the end of the knob19, and the screw 17 in the end of the spindle are removed. This leavesthe knob shank and its attached knob and free dial to be removed, fromthe spindle. The dial ring with the spindle in position therein, issecured to the door by screws 21 after which the knob shank, with itsknob and dial thereon, is placed on the end of the spindle and securedby the screw 17 and the latter concealed by screwing on the cap 20. Thespindle projects through the door and through the angular hub of drivingtumbler and projects more or less, according to the thickness of thedoor, into the support carrying the tumblers 2.

A sight hole is provided in the lock case so .as to permit the operatorto view the movements of the tumblers and fence and is preferablycovered by a transparent cover 22, which in the present instance restson a seat in the leek case and the metal of the latterl spun over theedge of the cover to retain it in position. Other means of securing itin position may however be substituted.

In order to change the combination of the lock, the safe, vault, orother door is opened thus giving access to the lock ease 1, at the rearof the door. rll`he slide 9 is then pulled downwardly during whichmovement the cams S on. the slide moves the tumbler center out ofengagement with the driving tumbler, thus leaving former Jfree to turnwithout rotating the latter, and in condition for changing thecombination, which is accomplished by turning the dial to bring thedcsired number on the dial in line with the setting mark, and pushing upthe slide which latter movement forces the driving tumbler center intoengagement with the driving tumbler. During this operation, the operatormay view the movement of the tumbler and fence through the sight hole inthe lock case.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in therelative arrangement of parts shown and described without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I would have it understoodthat I do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction andarrangement of parts shown and described but Having fully described myinvention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a combination lock, the combination of a plurality of tumblers oneof which is the driving tumbler, a slidable and rotary hub, a slidelocated within the lock casing and forming a permanent part of the lockand operable from the outside of the casing, the said slide having meansto engage the hub for moving the latter endwise to disconnect it fromand connect it to the driving tumblers, and a spindle for rotating thehub.

2. In a combination lock, the combination of a plurality of tumblers,one of which is the driving tumbler, a slidable and rotary hub havingperipheral shoulders, a slide operable from the outside of the lock easeand having a cam to engage said shoulders for moving the hub endwise todisconnect it from and connect it to the driving tumblers and a spindlefor rotating the hub.

3. In a combination lock, the combination of a plurality of tumblers oneof which is the driving tumbler, a slidable and rotary hub having teethto engage teeth on the driving tumbler and also provided with peripheralshoulders, a slide operable from the outside of the lock case and havinga cam to engage said shoulders for moving the hub endwise to disconnectit from and connect it to the driving tumbler and a spindle for rotatingthe hub.

4. In a combination lock, the combination of a lock case, a plurality oftumblers one oi which is the driving tumbler composed of a tumblerproper and a central member having a hub, the said central member beingprovided with teeth to engage teeth on the tumbler proper, and the hubhaving peripheral shoulders, a slide within the lock and projecting atone end from the latter, the said slide having a cam to engage theshoul- ,ders on the hub for shitting the latter longitudinally, and aspindle for rotating the driving tumbler.

5. In a combination lock, the combination of a. dial ring, a spindle, awasher rigidly secured to the spindle and bearing against specificationin the presence of tw subscrib the rear face of the ring, a knob and adial ing Witnesses. detachably secured to said spindle in front of thering and tumblers one of Which is a ROLLIN C LEWIS 5 driving tumbler,having a hub With an angu Witnesses:

lar bore to receive the spindle. WV. A. HANN,

In testimony whereof, I have signed this STUART B. AVERY.

7 Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ID. C.

